Week 15 of the Mindfulness Challenge was the three minute week. Every day I had to find a spare three minutes and conduct the below tasks in each corresponding minute:
- Answer the question ‘how am I doing right now’?
- Focus on my breathing until I noticed a slow, steady pace
- Notice the movements and sensations in my body as I inhale and exhale
Well, as we have already established, I’m not very good at sitting and meditating, and this is in essence what this week’s task was. I sighed dramatically when I got this card out, as I was really in need of a pick me up and this just didn’t hit the spot.
I did try, but the card told me that this task will help me relax and bring my awareness to the here and now in a calming way. But really, sitting in silence and thinking about my breathing and how I’m doing just doesn’t do it for me. I’m not often bored, but when I am (for example in a meeting that could have been an email – you know the type), my boredom manifests itself through anger and I just get a little bit ratty. That’s the reaction this card evoked when I read it – a kind of roll of the eyes and dismissal of the task.
One thing that really does help ground me and make me feel calm and serene is being outdoors. Preferably in the warm sunshine, but I’ll take rain too, as long as I’m outside. For me there’s nothing more calming than listening to birds singing, the sound of my surroundings and the smell of fresh air, or fresh rain.
So rather than sit and think to myself about how I felt, I just spent time this week appreciating my beautiful garden and ability to be outside right now, and that was enough.
Hopefully better luck next week!
Disclaimer: after writing this post, I re-read the card and realise that at no point did it say I had to sit down and close my eyes to do this task. I think maybe my perception, bad attitude and judgement got the better of me here – oops!
Reflect and Introspect 